Received this e-mail about a miraculous cure for stroke for the umpteenth time : Well, if you actually tried that out on someone who just suffered a stroke, congratulations - you have just murdered / crippled the patient. The advice given does NOT have any medical, physiological or anatomical basis. In other words - it's NONSENSE, and dangerous nonsense at that. This was my reply to every person who ever sent me this idiotic e-mail : It is also both ironic and insulting that people send me this "advice" on helping stroke patients when my wife recently suffered from stroke, not once, but TWICE! She survived both incidences, but that would NOT have been possible had I been foolish enough to follow this "advice" and pricked her fingers and ear lobes instead of sending her to the hospital stat! I'm pretty sure you received this e-mail in the past and will definitely receive more copies of it in the future. Please do everyone a favour and forward what I wrote instead to those who sent it to you. Help save lives.
It is indeed a wrong way to save a stroke patient by just bloodletting. It is unproven medicine and should not be done at home! Here's one webpage talking about the chain/spam mail: Urban Legends - Can a needle save the life of a stroke patient?
Well, there will always be those who believe in "easy methods", even if they have been proven to be false. Here are some responses I received : Translation : I don't believe you. My thoughts : Good effect, provided it's a minor stroke? What does he mean by minor stroke? I suppose that would be TIA (transient ischaemic attack) which usually resolves spontaneously with little or no side effect. Here's another, but far more vehement response, from another person : Obviously, this guy has a chip on his shoulder concerning doctors and/or Western medicine. He's entitled to his views, of course. As they say, there's a sucker born every minute. However, it would be dangerous to let his comments lie. So I shot back : I doubt it will change his mind, but that was not my intent. I just didn't want him to influence others into trying this "blood letting" method instead of rushing their loved ones to the hospital.
I'm wondering how does bloodletting ever decreases blood pressure and whatever in the brain. My anatomy and fluid dynamics knowledge is limited, unfortunately, but from my roughest judgement, this method does not ever feels right, despite how much I could imagine on that. I guess the pressures in the brain and in the fingers are mutually exclusive altogether! If there is a stroke, or something very serious, refer to the doctor - immediately!
I guess I'm lucky enough to come across this thread because just yesterday my lecturer suddenly talked about stroke patient and she said "she heard that you prick their fingers and they will recover". I immediately interjected and explained everything that I have read in this thread, perhaps I have prevented 100+ students from being misled LOL
i hate all these nonsense. e.g. don't drink cold water after eating oily food. wtf? e.g. don't drink cold water. our body is warm, cold water hurts. again wtf?
That's what are all seen mostly in the Health and Fitness in the 'other' forum (I'm sure you all know it!). In the end, I had to make my leave there and stay in TechARP.
ROTFL!! Heard those many times already... plus other iterations like : - Don't take your medicine with cold water, or they won't work. - Don't reboil your water, or it will become toxic. - Drink water before you sleep, or you will dehydrate and die. - Don't drink cold water during meals - it's bad for digestion. People can't seem to grasp the concept that no matter how old or hot the water is in the glass, it ends up at body temperature once it hits the stomach or intestine.
and don't drink cold water after exercise -> if this is true, david beckham would have died like.. 10 years ago. You think they put a boiling kettle next to the pitch he is on issit? so that he can enjoy warm water during winter.
On a related note though, Adrian, is it true that as a rule of thumb you shouldn't wash down medication with caffeinated drinks?
Makes no difference as far as the medicine is concerned. Of course, aerated water isn't good for health, but that's another story altogether.
